05 September 2026
A regional Salmonella outbreak initially traced to house-made mayonnaise at a local deli in Ramona, San Diego County, California, has now been definitively linked through genetic sequencing to an egg producer in the area. Federal and state health investigators confirmed that environmental samples collected from hen houses at Eben-Haezer’s Happy Hens in Ramona, California, match the outbreak strain responsible for sickening dozens of people and hospitalizing multiple patients. Despite official recommendations from state health authorities, the poultry farm has not issued a voluntary recall.
The investigation first came to light on July 28, 2026, when the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency reported a cluster of Salmonella infections linked to food prepared at the deli inside Ramona Family Naturals Market.
Health investigators identified the likely source as house-made mayonnaise prepared with raw, unpasteurized shell eggs. The mayonnaise was used in prepared deli items, including chicken salad and bottled “Ramona Red Sauce.” Under California Health and Safety Code §114012, commercial food facilities are required to use pasteurized eggs instead of raw shell eggs in foods that are not thoroughly cooked, unless granted a specific variance. Public health officials subsequently identified illnesses caused by isolates with the same genetic fingerprint in individuals who had not eaten at the deli, pointing to direct consumer purchases of eggs and potentially broader commercial distribution.
Total Confirmed and Probable Cases: 23 (up from 13 in late July and 21 in mid-August).
Exposure Breakdown: 18 cases linked to Ramona Family Naturals Market; 5 cases linked to the direct purchase and consumption of Happy Hens eggs.
Hospitalizations: 7 patients hospitalized, including individuals who developed severe complications such as septic shock and acute kidney failure.
For several weeks, public statements maintained that no environmental or product samples collected from the farm had tested positive. However, on September 4, 2026, San Diego County health officials published critical laboratory findings.
Hen House Contamination: During an FDA inspection that began on August 17, investigators collected samples from hen-house floors, perch rails, and nest boxes where bird droppings accumulate. Two of the seven hen houses tested positive for Salmonella.
Whole-Genome Sequencing (WGS) Match: Genetic testing confirmed that the Salmonella isolate recovered from the hen houses was genetically identical to the clinical strain isolated from hospitalized patients. Testing of retail eggs distributed by the farm remains underway.
Following the confirmed genetic match, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) recommended that Happy Hens initiate an immediate voluntary recall. As of September 4, 2026, the farm had declined to issue a recall, leaving its products on store shelves without an official federal or state product-identification bulletin.
The County’s Department of Environmental Health and Quality has contacted regional food facilities and retailers and instructed them to halt the use and distribution of Happy Hens eggs. Meanwhile, product-liability lawsuits have been filed in San Diego County Superior Court against both Ramona Family Naturals Market and Eben-Haezer’s Happy Hens.
